Sega has suggested it could be the latest publisher to raise the base price of its most premium games to $70.
"In the global marketplace, AAA game titles for console have been sold at $59.99 for many years, but titles sold at $69.99 have appeared in the last year," Sega said in a newly translated transcript of the company's April earnings (via VGC). "We would like to review the prices of titles that we believe are commensurate with price increases, while also keeping an eye on market conditions."
The gradual but certain shift in AAA game prices from $60 to $70 began when publisher Take-Two Interactive upped the price of NBA 2K21 for its PS5 and Xbox Series X/S launch. Other major players including Sony, Square Enix, and Ubisoft have since joined with their own price jumps. Even Nintendo has said it'll sell its games at $70 on a "case by case basis," with its most recent blockbuster, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, selling at that higher price point.
Meanwhile, Sega's most recent big titles, Like a Dragon: Ishin, a remake of the 2014 game of the same name, and Sonic Frontiers, have both sold at $60 MSRP. There's now a good chance that the next mainline Yakuza game, titled Like a Dragon 8, as well as any potential follow-up to Sonic Frontiers, will be priced at $70 at launch. It's unclear whether spinoffs like Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name will also see a price increase.
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